Southwest tests live-TV option on some planes
Southwest Airlines
Travelers on some Southwest Airlines flights will be able to watch live TV from their electronic devices beginning this month.
The airline introduced the live-TV viewing option on five of its aircraft, and it plans to expand to 15 more planes by mid-July, Southwest said on June 28. Flight attendants will inform passengers at the beginning of a flight whether the aircraft has this option.
Customers will be able to access live TV from their notebook computers, tablet computers and smartphones by logging on to the service through Southwest’s Wi-Fi portal. The live-TV service will cost $3–$8 during the test phase. Passengers don’t have to purchase the airline’s Wi-Fi service itself to access the live-TV service; Passengers who want to use the Wi-Fi service will be charged separately for that service.
The live-TV service will give passengers access to CNBC, Fox News, Fox Business News, MSNBC, NFL Network and live Major League Baseball games.
Southwest says all of its Wi-Fi-enabled planes might have the live-TV option by the end of 2012.
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